Status message

(a)When applicant is eligible: general. The PHA may admit only eligible families to the program. To be eligible, an applicant must be a “family;” must be income-eligible in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section and 24 CFR part 5, subpart F; and must be a citizen or a noncitizen who has eligible immigration status as determined in accordance with 24 CFR part 5, subpart E. If the applicant is a victim of domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking, 24 CFR part 5, subpart L, applies.

(b)Income—

(1)Income-eligibility. To be income-eligible, the applicant must be a family in any of the following categories:

(i) A “very low income” family;

(ii) A low-income family that is “continuously assisted” under the 1937 Housing Act;

(iii) A low-income family that meets additional eligibility criteria specified in the PHA administrative plan. Such additional PHA criteria must be consistent with the PHA plan and with the consolidated plans for local governments in the PHA jurisdiction;

(iv) A low-income family that qualifies for voucher assistance as a non-purchasing family residing in a HOPE 1 (HOPE for public housing homeownership) or HOPE 2 (HOPE for homeownership of multifamily units) project. (Section 8(o)(4)(D) of the 1937 Act (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(4)(D));

(v) A low-income or moderate-income family that is displaced as a result of the prepayment of the mortgage or voluntary termination of an insurance contract on eligible low-income housing as defined in § 248.101 of this title;

(vi) A low-income family that qualifies for voucher assistance as a non-purchasing family residing in a project subject to a resident homeownership program under § 248.173 of this title.

(2)Income-targeting.

(i) Not less than 75 percent of the families admitted to a PHA's tenant-based voucher program during the PHA fiscal year from the PHA waiting list shall be extremely low income families. Annual income of such families shall be verified within the period described in paragraph (e) of this section.

(ii) A PHA may admit a lower percent of extremely low income families during a PHA fiscal year (than otherwise required under paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section) if HUD approves the use of such lower percent by the PHA, in accordance with the PHA plan, based on HUD's determination that the following circumstances necessitate use of such lower percent by the PHA:

(A) The PHA has opened its waiting list for a reasonable time for admission of extremely low income families residing in the same metropolitan statistical area (MSA) or non-metropolitan county, both inside and outside the PHA jurisdiction;

(B) The PHA has provided full public notice of such opening to such families, and has conducted outreach and marketing to such families, including outreach and marketing to extremely low income families on the Section 8 and public housing waiting lists of other PHAs with jurisdiction in the same MSA or non-metropolitan county;

(C) Notwithstanding such actions by the PHA (in accordance with paragraphs (b)(2)(ii)(A) and (B) of this section), there are not enough extremely low income families on the PHA's waiting list to fill available slots in the program during any fiscal year for which use of a lower percent is approved by HUD; and

(D) Admission of the additional very low income families other than extremely low income families to the PHA's tenant-based voucher program will substantially address worst case housing needs as determined by HUD.

(iii) If approved by HUD, the admission of a portion of very low income welfare-to-work (WTW) families that are not extremely low income families may be disregarded in determining compliance with the PHA's income-targeting obligations under paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section. HUD will grant such approval only if and to the extent that the PHA has demonstrated to HUD's satisfaction that compliance with such targeting obligations with respect to such portion of WTW families would interfere with the objectives of the welfare-to-work voucher program. If HUD grants such approval, admission of that portion of WTW families is not counted in the base number of families admitted to a PHA's tenant-based voucher program during the fiscal year for purposes of income targeting.

(iv) Conversion of assistance for a participant in the PHA certificate program to assistance in the PHA voucher program does not count as an “admission,” and is not subject to targeting under paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section.

(v) Admission of families as described in paragraphs (b)(1)(ii) or (b)(1)(v) of this section is not subject to targeting under paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section.

(vi) If the jurisdictions of two or more PHAs that administer the tenant-based voucher program cover an identical geographic area, such PHAs may elect to be treated as a single PHA for purposes of targeting under paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section. In such a case, the PHAs shall cooperate to assure that aggregate admissions by such PHAs comply with the targeting requirement. If such PHAs do not have a single fiscal year, HUD will determine which PHA's fiscal year is used for this purpose.

(vii) If a family initially leases a unit outside the PHA jurisdiction under portability procedures at admission to the voucher program on or after the merger date, such admission shall be counted against the targeting obligation of the initial PHA (unless the receiving PHA absorbs the portable family into the receiving PHA voucher program from the point of admission).

(3) The annual income (gross income) of a participant family is used both for determination of income-eligibility under paragraph (b)(1) of this section and for targeting under paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section. In determining annual income of a participant family which includes persons with disabilities, the determination must include the disallowance of increase in annual income as provided in 24 CFR 5.617, if applicable.

(4) The applicable income limit for issuance of a voucher when a family is selected for the program is the highest income limit (for the family size) for areas in the PHA jurisdiction. The applicable income limit for admission to the program is the income limit for the area where the family is initially assisted in the program. At admission, the family may only use the voucher to rent a unit in an area where the family is income eligible.

(1) An applicant is continuously assisted under the 1937 Housing Act if the family is already receiving assistance under any 1937 Housing Act program when the family is admitted to the voucher program.

(2) The PHA must establish policies concerning whether and to what extent a brief interruption between assistance under one of these programs and admission to the voucher program will be considered to break continuity of assistance under the 1937 Housing Act.

(e)When PHA verifies that applicant is eligible. The PHA must receive information verifying that an applicant is eligible within the period of 60 days before the PHA issues a voucher to the applicant.

(f)Decision to deny assistance—

(1)Notice to applicant. The PHA must give an applicant prompt written notice of a decision denying admission to the program (including a decision that the applicant is not eligible, or denying assistance for other reasons). The notice must give a brief statement of the reasons for the decision. The notice must also state that the applicant may request an informal review of the decision, and state how to arrange for the informal review.

(2) For description of the grounds for denying assistance because of action or inaction by the applicant, see § 982.552(b) and (c) (requirement and authority to deny admission) and § 982.553(a) (crime by family members).

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, HUD, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing

Final rule.

Effective date: March 19, 2015.

24 CFR Part 982

Summary

This final rule removes from regulations obsolete references to the Section 8 Tenant-Based Rental Assistance Certificate program (Certificate Program). In accordance with Executive Order 13563, “Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review,” HUD reviewed its regulations to identify regulations that are “outmoded, ineffective, insufficient or excessively burdensome.” Following its review, HUD determined that the Certificate Program regulations are obsolete and unnecessary because they govern a program that has been consolidated into another program, the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program. This rule also makes minor editorial corrections to the regulations.

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, HUD, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Housing-Federal Housing Commissioner

Notice of statutory changes; correction.

Effective Date: September 11, 2014.

24 CFR Parts 5, 943, and 982

Summary

On June, 25, 2014, HUD published a document implementing statutory changes made by the Department of Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act, 2014 to certain programs administered by HUD's Office of Housing and HUD's Office of Public and Indian Housing. In the discussion of implementation of the new definition of “extremely low-income” applicable to multifamily projects administered by HUD's Office of Housing, the document referred to “contract administrators” and it should have referenced “owners.” This document makes that correction.

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, HUD, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Housing—Federal Housing Commissioner and Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing

Notice of statutory changes.

Effective Date: July 1, 2014.

24 CFR Parts 5, 943, and 982

Summary

Section 243 of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act, 2014 (2014 Appropriations Act) authorizes HUD to implement certain statutory changes to the United States Housing Act of 1937 made by the 2014 Appropriations Act through notice followed by notice and comment rulemaking. This notice establishes the terms and conditions by which HUD will implement changes to the statutory definition of a “public housing agency” (PHA), the frequency of housing inspections, the statutory definition of “extremely low-income,” and utility allowances for tenant-paid utilities.

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, HUD, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing

Final rule.

Effective Date: July 25, 2014.

24 CFR Parts 5, 982, and 983

Summary

HERA, enacted into law on July 30, 2008, made comprehensive and significant reforms to several HUD programs, including HUD's Public Housing, Section 8 Tenant-Based Voucher, and Project-Based Voucher programs. On November 24, 2008, HUD published a notice that provided information about the applicability of certain HERA provisions to these programs. The notice identified: those statutory provisions that are self-executing and required no action on the part of HUD for the program changes made by HERA to be implemented; and those statutory provisions that require new regulations or regulatory changes by HUD for the HERA provisions to be implemented. The notice also offered the opportunity for public comment on the guidance provided. HUD followed the November 2008 notice with a May 15, 2012, rule that proposed to establish, in regulation, the reforms made by HERA solely to the Section 8 Tenant-Based Voucher and Project-Based Voucher programs as discussed in the November 2008 notice, to make other related changes to the regulations, and to further solicit public comment. This final rule conforms the regulations of the Section 8 Tenant-Based Voucher and Project-Based Voucher programs to the statutory program changes made by HERA, makes other related changes to these regulations as discussed in the May 2012 proposed rule, and makes further changes to the two voucher program regulations as a result of issues raised by public comment or as a result of further consideration by HUD of issues pertaining to these programs.

This is a list of United States Code sections, Statutes at Large, Public Laws, and Presidential Documents, which provide rulemaking authority for this CFR Part.

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, HUD, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing

Final rule.

Effective date: March 19, 2015.

24 CFR Part 982

Summary

This final rule removes from regulations obsolete references to the Section 8 Tenant-Based Rental Assistance Certificate program (Certificate Program). In accordance with Executive Order 13563, “Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review,” HUD reviewed its regulations to identify regulations that are “outmoded, ineffective, insufficient or excessively burdensome.” Following its review, HUD determined that the Certificate Program regulations are obsolete and unnecessary because they govern a program that has been consolidated into another program, the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program. This rule also makes minor editorial corrections to the regulations.

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development, HUD, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Housing—Federal Housing Commissioner, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing

Proposed rule.

Comment Due Date: March 9, 2015.

24 CFR Parts 5, 574, 960, 966, 982, 983, and 990

Summary

Section 243 of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act, 2014 (2014 Appropriations Act), authorized HUD to implement certain statutory changes to the United States Housing Act of 1937 (1937 Act) made by the 2014 Appropriations Act through notice, followed by notice and comment rulemaking. Notices implementing the changes were published on May 19, 2014, and June 25, 2014. Consistent with statutory direction, this proposed rule commences the rulemaking process to codify in regulation the statutory changes made to the 1937 Act by the 2014 Appropriations Act and to solicit comment on HUD's implementation of these changes through the published notices. HUD intends to address the FY14 provision on consortia through separate rulemaking. In addition, this rulemaking also proposes changes to streamline regulatory requirements pertaining to certain elements of the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV), Public Housing (PH), and various multifamily housing (MFH) rental assistance programs; to reduce the administrative burden on public housing agencies (PHAs) and MFH owners; and to align, where feasible, requirements across programs. One of the proposed changes would also affect the HOME Investment Partnerships program, Continuum of Care program, and the Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA) program which are administered by HUD's Office of Community Planning and Development.

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, HUD, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Housing-Federal Housing Commissioner

Notice of statutory changes; correction.

Effective Date: September 11, 2014.

24 CFR Parts 5, 943, and 982

Summary

On June, 25, 2014, HUD published a document implementing statutory changes made by the Department of Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act, 2014 to certain programs administered by HUD's Office of Housing and HUD's Office of Public and Indian Housing. In the discussion of implementation of the new definition of “extremely low-income” applicable to multifamily projects administered by HUD's Office of Housing, the document referred to “contract administrators” and it should have referenced “owners.” This document makes that correction.

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, HUD, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Housing—Federal Housing Commissioner and Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing

Notice of statutory changes.

Effective Date: July 1, 2014.

24 CFR Parts 5, 943, and 982

Summary

Section 243 of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act, 2014 (2014 Appropriations Act) authorizes HUD to implement certain statutory changes to the United States Housing Act of 1937 made by the 2014 Appropriations Act through notice followed by notice and comment rulemaking. This notice establishes the terms and conditions by which HUD will implement changes to the statutory definition of a “public housing agency” (PHA), the frequency of housing inspections, the statutory definition of “extremely low-income,” and utility allowances for tenant-paid utilities.

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, HUD, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing

Final rule.

Effective Date: July 25, 2014.

24 CFR Parts 5, 982, and 983

Summary

HERA, enacted into law on July 30, 2008, made comprehensive and significant reforms to several HUD programs, including HUD's Public Housing, Section 8 Tenant-Based Voucher, and Project-Based Voucher programs. On November 24, 2008, HUD published a notice that provided information about the applicability of certain HERA provisions to these programs. The notice identified: those statutory provisions that are self-executing and required no action on the part of HUD for the program changes made by HERA to be implemented; and those statutory provisions that require new regulations or regulatory changes by HUD for the HERA provisions to be implemented. The notice also offered the opportunity for public comment on the guidance provided. HUD followed the November 2008 notice with a May 15, 2012, rule that proposed to establish, in regulation, the reforms made by HERA solely to the Section 8 Tenant-Based Voucher and Project-Based Voucher programs as discussed in the November 2008 notice, to make other related changes to the regulations, and to further solicit public comment. This final rule conforms the regulations of the Section 8 Tenant-Based Voucher and Project-Based Voucher programs to the statutory program changes made by HERA, makes other related changes to these regulations as discussed in the May 2012 proposed rule, and makes further changes to the two voucher program regulations as a result of issues raised by public comment or as a result of further consideration by HUD of issues pertaining to these programs.